Pile fabric reel



Jan. 1, 1963 s. SCHWARTZ 3,071,245

PILE FABRIC REEL Filed July 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 50L SIHWAETZ ATTdE/VEYS Jan. 1, 1963 s. SCHWARTZ 3,071,245

PILE FABRIC REEL Filed July 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

I INVENTOR. K so; SCHWARTZ ties 3,071,245 FILE FABRIC REEL Sol Schwartz, 67-40 173rd St, Flushing, N.Y. Filed July 11, 196i), Ser. No. 41,962 9 ijluirns. (Cl. 266-51) the practice to wind such materials in substantially spiral- 1y separated layers by catching the edges of the material over sharply pointed rigid supporting hooks on the oppo site end heads of a rotatably mounted rack or reel.

This is a time consuming operation requiring the constant attention of several skilled operators, and even under the most favorable circumstances the cloth may be unevenly stretched, torn or become otherwise detached from the hooks, resulting in impairment and injury to the goods.

Objects of the present invention are to avoid and to eliminate these possibilities and to provide a machine in which pile fabrics and the like may be quickly and accurately positioned and effectively secured without the possibility of injury or coming loose as heretofore.

In my prior Patents 2,895,604; 2,944,751; and 2,944,- 752, the above objects were accomplished by providing a rack or reel having longitudinally aligned and evenly spaced supports for the selvage edges of the fabric and the provision of means for projecting binding wires successively through these longitudinally spaced supports and through the intervening layers of material positioned therein.

The construction of such supports with longitudinally aligned spaces is often expensive and requires the use of special fabricating dies. The instant device, however, provides alternate means to accomplish the same result possibly more economically and efficiently.

Additional primary objects of this invention are to provide pile fabric supporting means that may be fabricated relatively economically from a reel of wire, as required, and that does not require either expensive dies or preformed parts.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will appear in the following specification and recited in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts throughout the various figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of one form of the improved reel assembly rotatably attached to a suitable frame.

FIG. 2 is a detailed enlarged and abbreviated view of several coils of one of the arms of the reel assembly with the pile fabric shown locked in place by the binding wire.

HO. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the heads of a reel constituting an alternate embodiment of this device.

PEG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged and partially sectional view showing one possible construction of the embodiment of the invention primarily depicted in FIG. 3.

HQ. 5 is a view taken substantially along line 5-5 of PEG. 4 demonstrating one method of fastening the cloth supports to a suitable frame.

FIG. 6 is an abbreviated view corresponding to FlG. 4 but depicting an alternate embodiment thereof.

Referring to P168. 1 and 2 of the drawings, which illustrate what may be for some purposes a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is illustrated a reel assembly 14 consisting primarily of a pair of opposite end heads 15 and 16 secured in a spaced and parallel relationship by Patented Jan. l, 1963 ice a plurality of spacing bars or rods 17 and supported in the machine by a rotatable shaft 18.

it should be noted that the details of the construction and operation of the reel supports and the actuating devices are not described in detail as they are disclosed in detail in my previous patents. Suilicient to say, however, that the shaft 13 with the reel assembly l4 secured thereto, are rotatable; and may be rotated by either manual, partially automatic or completely automatic means.

As may be seen from FIG. 1, each of the heads 15 and 16 of the reel assembly 14 has a plurality of radiating arms 19, 20, 21 and 22. Although the embodiment of the invention herein depicted shows each head having four such radiating arms, it is contemplated that there may be any number of such radiating arms as desired for specific applications. Furthermore, groups or all of the radiating arms may be assembled from a single length of material and may be connected at their outermost ends for ease of assembly and for increased rigidity.

There is shown in FIG. 2 one of the preferred forms of construction of one of the radiating arm assemblies 19 although it is to be emphasized that each of the heads should be similarly constructed. As therein shown, the arm 19 is comprised primarily of a wire or rod 24 wound in a substantially spiral form with uniformly spaced gaps 25 disposed between each adjacent loop of the spiral. There is further provided a central longitudinal opening 51 along the length of the spiral to receive and locate the looking or binding wire 26 as will be hereinafter described in detail.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the edges of the pile fabric 28 are introduced to the spaced gaps 25 between adjoining loops on the radiating arms to be wound thereon. This engagement of the cloth over the successive spaced gaps 25 may be a hand operation or may be effected automatically or semi-automatically, as by using guides to direct the cloth into successive notches. One method for automatically accomplishing this feed operation is disclosed in my prior filed applications hereinabove mentioned. No matter what be the actuating means, however, the reel assembly lid is rotated a step at a time thereby winding the pile fabric 23 thereon in folds of successively larger diameter.

As mentioned, the spaced gaps 25 on each of the radiating arms of each head locate and separate each fold of the pile fabric 28 but it will still be necessary to lock the selvage edges of the cloth in place. This may be accomplished by the utilization of binding wires 26 (see FIG. 2). As the edges of the fabric are engaged in the opposing spaced gaps in the reel heads, the binding wires 26, which are positioned to move substantially through the longitudinal center of the spiral, are advanced one step to impale the fabric edge located therein. Thus, the selvage edges of the fabric are located by the spaced gaps 25 of the spiral and are immediately locked in place by the advancing binding wire 26. The means: for advancing the binding wire 26 may consist of any manual or automatic means; but one such means is set forth in detail in my prior filed patents.

After a reel is fully loaded, the binding wires 26 may be secured and the reel will be removed from the stand by any quick disconnect means utilized to secure it thereto.

It will thus be seen that there is above disclosed a relatively economical but yet strong and efficient reel assembly 14 for the safe support of pile fabrics.

It is contemplated, however, that for additional strength it may be necessary to attach each loop of each of the radiating arms 19 to a support assembly, as by staples or the like, for increased strength and load carrying capacity. Additionally, it is possible and may sometimes be preferable to secure each of the radiating arms 19 to the support by means of an extending bar 17. In this embodiment, it is possible to partially or completely remove any of the radiating arms 19 by withdrawing bar 17.

In any of the embodiments herein depicted, or rnentioned in any previously filed patents, it may be possible to extend a portion of the radiating arms 1?, through a support assembly. A similar bar 17 may then be provided on the outer side of the support to lock the radiating arm 19 securely in place in any of the embodiments previously described or to be described hereinafter, it may be desirable to temporarily catch the selvage on the cloth supoprts and this may be accomplished by providing the cloth supports with sharp holding points 41 as shown in FIG. 2. These sharp holding points may be located where most convenient for catching the selvage and temporarily retaining it prior to the insertion of the wires.

Although there is illustrated a substantially circular spiral, it should be amphasized that the essence of this embodiment of the construction is a continuously advancing looped wire with uniformly spaced gaps between each loop. It may be preferable in certain instances to utilize a similar continuously advancing looped wire With a shape other than circular. Indeed for more accurate location and rigidity of the binding wire 26, it is contemplated that the advancing looped Wire may be in the form of an elongated ellipse with one end pinched together to a separation less than that of the binding wire 26 to prevent excessive movement of the binding wire in each of the separate loops.

Of further importance is the fact that the rod material 24 utilized to form the spirally extending arms may be of any diameter depending upon the fabric to be supported thereon, and indeed may even be a hollow tube itself for increased separation of the fabric. Similarly, the spiral may be wound from a relatively thin fiat sheet of material and yet function in the same manner as hereinbefore described.

There is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 preformed spirally radiating arms and, as already mentioned, this may require somewhat accurate feed means to lead the edges of the cloth to successive space gaps 25. This last mentioned means may be eliminated thereby providing a more automatic foolproof machine simply by utilizing the simple expedient of winding the spirally extending arms as the cloth is wound. Initially, the extending arm would have but one loop at its inner-most point. After the material is wound against this one loop, the die assembly would bend the arm into a second adjacent loop thereby locating the fabric. The binding wire 26 would then advance the first notch, locking the fabric 28 in place. On the next successive pass of the same arm, a third loop may be formed by a suitable die locating the second fold of the fabric in place and the binding wire 26 would be advanced the second notch. This same operation would be repeated each time the arm makes a pass until the arm is completely loaded, at which time it will also be completely formed. Of course, it will be understood that this same simultaneous feeding and forming operation will concurrently be performed on each of the radiating arms of each of the heads.

In the embodiment above described, it is contemplated that as the cloth is wound, the binding wire 26 will advance, thereby impaling the fabric and locking it securely in place. However, it is equally possible to utilize a substantial stationary binding wire but instead, rotate each of the spirally radiating arms. If the spirally radiating arms are rotated a full turn or 360 degrees, it will, in effect, move the fabric into the relatively stationary bind ing wire 26 the distance equivalent to the lead of the spiral; which is, of course, the distance of separation of each of the spaced gaps 25.

There is disclosed in FIGS. 3, 4 and an alternate embodiment of the instant invention. Instead of the singularly spaced loops described heretofore, there is here shown a cloth supporting assembly having a plurality of closely spaced turns of wire 29 having a longitudinal aperture 35 for the binding wire. Between each of the groups of wound wire 29, there is provided a laterally extending double U section 31, which will serve as the cloth support. It should be noted that, other than the difference just mentioned, the operation of this embodiment of the device is as described for the initial embodimerit i.e. a plurality of radiating arms are positioned to form end heads spaced as a reel assembly.

Although not necessarily limited thereto, this embodiment is shown as being fixed to a larger frame member 3t In one commercial form of the invention already constructed, frame member 30 is a relatively strong piece of cardboard suitable to be placed as the end of a shipping crate. In that form it will merely be necessary when removing the reel from the machine to enclose the sides of the cloth with cardboard or the like thereby forming a finished shipping carton most economically and conveniently. In this form of the embodiment, the reel assernbly, including the two frame members 39 Will generally be considered disposable and this thus contributes to the economy and usefulness of the device.

in the commercial embodiment of this invention already constructed, the lateral extending section 31 consists of extending substantially parallel receiving members 32 having substantially perpendicular extending portions 34. The radiating arms may thus be quickly and easily assembled to the frame member 30 by any fastening means such as staples across each of the extending portions 34. It will be realized that as set forth, extending portions 34 will be parallel and immediately adjacent the frame member 30.

It i possible in this form of the invention to feed the binding wire 26, necessary to lock the edges of the fabric 28 within the section 31, from the outer sides of the frame member 30. FIG. 4 demonstrates this application. It will be seen here that a wound extension 36 of each of the radiating arms is passed through a suitable opening in the frame member 355 and at that point is substantially perpendicular to the said frame member. The wound extension 36 may be rigidly secured by any suitable bracket 33. The binding wire 26 then may be fed into the central aperture 35 through the outer edge of the frame member 3%.

To more accurately and securely position the binding Wire 26 as it successively advances through the radiating arms, each of the portions of the arm may be tapered like a funnel, as indicated in the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 6. In that embodiment each of the sections 40 has a relatively large central aperture at its wire receiving end and gradually reduces to a relatively small aperture at its wire ejecting end. The remainder of the operation of this form of the invention is as previously described.

Of course it must always be realized that the central feature of each of the species of this invention is the laterally disposed cloth supports utilized to lock the edges of the fabric in place. It is, of course, possible to produce still other embodiments of this invention without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed.

An alternate device and method for accomplishing the same result relatively automatically would be to provide a series of evenly spaced hinged or otherwise movable hooks. Initially, only the first or innermost hook on each of the radiating arms would be in a position to receive and thereby catch the edge of the material to be wound. After the first pass of the radiating arms, the second hook is urged into the cloth receiving position to receive the second fold of the fabric. The same procedure will be repeated in turn until the reel is entirely and completely loaded.

Although there was previously heretofore mentioned, only one fold of the material between each of the cloth supports, it is preferable in certain applications, such as with velvet, etc., to locate a plurality of such folds in each of the gaps between the spaced cloth supports.

The foregoing will sufiice to impart a clear understanding of the invention without further explanation.

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of this device, it is desired that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as are stated therein, or required by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fabric storing reel comprising, at least two end heads, each of said end heads having a plurality of radially extending arms, each of said arms consisting of a continuously extending spiral with spaced gaps between each loop of said spiral thereby forming spaced cloth supports.

2. A fabric receiving reel comprising, a pair of end heads, each of said end heads having a plurality of radially extending arms, a member rigidly joining said end heads, each of said arms consisting of a spirally wound strip of material, said strip of material shaped to define spaced cloth supports therealong, and a longitudinally extending passage through the center thereof.

3. A fabric receiving reel comprising, a pair of opposite end heads, means securing said end heads in a spaced and parallel relationship, each of said end heads having a plurality of radiating arms, said arms being wound in a longitudinally extending substantially spiral form with spaced gaps disposed between each adjacent loop of said spiral, and a central longitudinal opening along the length of said spiral and said radiating arms, said central longitudinal opening being adapted to receive an extending binding wire whereby the fabric fed to each of said loops may be locked in place.

4. A fabric receiving reel comprising, a pair of end heads, said end heads having a plurality of radiating arms, each of said arms being formed from a length of advancing spirally wound looped wire with spaced gaps between each of said loops, and a longitudinal opening through each of said loops and along the length of each of said radially extending arms.

5. A reel for receiving fabric comprising, a pair of frame members disposed in a parallel spaced relationship, a bar connecting said frame members, each of said mem bers having radially extending arm and formed from a single helically looped strip of metal, a spaced gap between each of said loops to receive the fabric, and means for locking said fabric within said loop.

6. A reel for receiving fabric comprising, a pair of frame members disposed in a parallel spaced relationship, a bar connecting said frame members, each of said members having radially extending arms and formed from a single helically looped strip of metal, :a spaced gap between each of said loops to receive the fabric, and means for locking said fabric within said loop, said means including a binding wire extending through each of said loops on each arm.

7. A reel for receving fabric comprising, a pair of frame members disposed in a parallel spaced relationship, a bar connecting said frame members, each of said members having radially extending arms and formed from a helically looped strip of metal, said loops on each of said arms arranged in spaced groups, each of said groups being connected by a laterally displaced and longitudinally extending connecting wire thereby forming a fabric support.

8. A reel for receiving fabric comprising, a pair of frame members disposed in a parallel spaced relationship, a bar connecting said frame members, each of said members having radially extending arms and formed from a helically looped strip of metal, said loops on each of said arms arranged in spaced groups, each of said groups being connected by a laterally displaced and longitudinally extending connecting wire thereby forming a fabric support, and means for fastening said fabric in each of said fabric supports.

9. A reel for receiving fabric comprising, a pair of frame members disposed in a parallel spaced relationship, a bar connecting said frame members, each of said members having radially extending arms and formed from a helically looped strip of metal, said loops on each of said arms arranged in spaced groups, each of said groups being connected by a laterally displaced and longitudinally extending connecting wire thereby forming a fabric support, and means for fastening said fabric in each of said fabric supports, said means including a binding wire extending through said loops in each of said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 370,479 Hunt Sept 27, 1887 499,774 Bancroft June 20, 1893 2,315,532 Lucia et al. Apr. 6, 1943 2,895,604 Schwartz July 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,170 Great Britain 1891 

1. A FABRIC STORING REEL COMPRISING, AT LEAST TWO END HEADS, EACH OF SAID END HEADS HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING ARMS, EACH OF SAID ARMS CONSISTING OF A CONTINUOUSLY EXTENDING SPIRAL WITH SPACED GAPS BETWEEN EACH LOOP OF SAID SPIRAL THEREBY FORMING SPACED CLOTH SUPPORTS. 